A Different Type of Artificial
by Lady Salazar
Summary: Kurotsuchi wasn't the only one to experiment, and Urahara wasn't the only one to succeed. Aizen, however, was the only one to work miracles. AU, Ichigo centric.
1. Messed Up

Stress relief. Blatant AU, as should be fairly obvious very quickly, but an AU of the interesting kind. Divergence, as opposed to crap where they might as well change the names and get it published properly, since it doesn't have jackshit to do with Bleach.

Ahem.

If I owned Bleach, Bleach would not be awesome. As it is awesome, I believe the logic follows that I do not own Bleach.

**This chapter**: Ichigo gets messed with. By himself, depending on how you look at it. we're in volume 7/8, in the shattered shaft, folks.

* * *

**_A Different Type of Artificial_**

"A graceful fall you have there."

Ichigo landed with a painful thud in a tangle of limbs before he realized he was even falling. The cool white floor was curiously reassuring, strangely familiar - as was the voice, thick with amusement, and the hand that reached down to help him to his feet.

"I thought so too," he muttered darkly, frowning as he took in his surroundings, and his helper, for the first time. _Where am I? The last thing I remember was the shaft… _

The room was quite spacious and a little stark. While Ichigo had never enjoyed his art classes, not being a very skilled artist (though certainly better than Rukia), his assignments had tended to be pencil, black and white with extensive use of values; thus, he could appreciate the tasteful, if odd, display.

The black shihakusho of the man standing across him was a dark contrast to the largely white and gray furnishings. The dark brown hair was slightly messy, and compounded by the thick-rimmed glasses and soft, unassuming smile, he just radiated a feeling of _Nice Guy_.

And _Dork_, too. "Who are you?" Ichigo asked.

Lips upturning more, the brunette gestured to one of the plush white mats. "I don't believe you would be here, should you not have wished to talk."

It took Ichigo a second, instinctively dropping into the intended seat, before he realized his question had been blatantly ignored. He opened his mouth to complain, only to find himself falling silent at a raised hand.

The brunette, smile fading a little, used his other hand to sweep aside a gray curtain, revealing a black sky crisscrossed with white cracks.

_Those… _Ichigo realized, stomach dropping in horror. _They look like the cracks the __Menos__ came out of!_

It came back in a fragmented memory - the pieces of decayed chain of fate, dropping away from his chest to reveal a hole…

"I see you recognize the problem," said the other, allowing the curtain to drop back into place. Despite the situation, he seemed calm. "Outside of your body, the mask of instinct is already a quarter formed. You have roughly ten minutes before the _Horo__-ka_, the Hollofication process, is complete."

"Then what am I _doing _here?" Ichigo demanded, rocketing to his feet and looking around, not entirely sure where to go. "I have to - to find a way to…" Damn Urahara. He didn't know what to do.

_'Become a __shinigami__ or die.' _If he got out of this, it would be Urahara that died.

"Ichigo." The brunette cut through his encroaching panic with just the tone. "There is a way to abort a Hollow transformation."

"Become a shinigami, I know," Ichigo snapped back, to a genial smile. _But how…_

The man opened a door he hadn't been aware was there, allowing full exposure to the roaring chaos of the night, and Ichigo saw that the white room was only part of a complex, one that stretched out of eyesight.

"The hell…?"

"Somewhere, in this palace, you will find your own, inborn shinigami power," the brunette murmured. A bone-shattering crack of thunder heralded the appearance of another fissure in the sky. "But if you do not find it in time…"

He didn't continue.

_Ten__ minutes…._

Cursing, Ichigo dashed out the door into the gloom.

He was prepared for the tempest; despite it, the wind nearly took him off his feet, the chill biting through him like icy fangs, and forced him to squint lest he get sand in his eyes. Between the screaming of the wind and the jarring cracks that he realized were not limited to the ones in the sky but also lightning, his hearing was spent.

_I have to move. _It took all his willpower to force one foot forward. _I have to __move__…_

_**Why?**_

A sudden gust of wind swept him from the ground, blowing him several dozens of feet backward into a dune, passing through the building he had exited like it wasn't there at all. _What the…_

**_Why do you go forward, Kurosaki Ichigo_**

_"What d'you-" mean,_ he tried to say, only to get a mouthful of sand and start choking, cutting off any other words he could have said.

**_What is your purpose? _**

_Purpose?_he wanted to ask. What purpose - the reason why he was here? To regain his shinigami powers. Not that he was having much luck.

_**Why? **…_whatever it was repeated. **_Why do you seek power?_**

This was… about Rukia, Ichigo supposed. Thanks to her helping him, she had the death sentence. He couldn't just stand by and let her get killed without even trying to help. He owed her a debt, a large debt, and he wouldn't be able to rest until it had been settled. With that in mind, he began the arduous task of getting to his feet.

**_And then?_**

He stopped short, slightly confused. What 'and then'?

**_All you have is an objective._**

_There's not much a difference,_ Ichigo snapped inwardly. Light… buildings gave off light. Now, could he see any light? No, and it figured.

_**Purpose defines one's reason to exist**,_ came the reply**_You have nothing._ **

**_Will you continue to go as you are, an unguided force? With no intent, no resolution?_**

Despite himself, Ichigo found himself hesitating. _No intent or resolution…._ It sounded so pointless. But he had purpose. He would prevent Rukia's execution. Whatever the cost.

**_And then?_**

Damn corny voice-overs. He had not bothered to ask what happened after. He hadn't wanted to ask what happened after. Hadn't wanted to _think_ of it.

Because he didn't _have _anything for after.

As if by magic, the wind stopped. Taken off-guard by the abrupt loss of opposing force, Ichigo lurched forward, landing in an undignified heap for the third time in less than ten minutes. Brushing sand off his face and spitting out his mouthful, he flushed at hearing a chuckle and looked up to meet amused brown eyes.

"Most graceful," the brunette remarked candidly, offering his hand. He smiled as Ichigo grudgingly took it and stood, brushing himself off.

"What're you here for?" It was more than a little rude, Ichigo knew, but it was enough to make him suspicious that he would appear immediately following the cessation of the wind.

"Nothing for after, Ichigo?" The brunette looked away, up into the cracks lining the sky, ignoring the question. Glancing back, he extended a simple katana out with one arm, meeting Ichigo's eyes with steely resolve. "_I _know your purpose. If you will only let me show you, that _after_ you fear will be its beginning."

Ichigo caught the sheathed blade out from the air, slightly stunned.

"If you would accept my assistance, remember... My name is _Kyoka Zangetsu_."

The world fractured, took a pause - and then shattered.

The cool, smooth texture of the wooden sheath in his hands was the only thing that stayed with him, as the world whited out and his skin burned unpleasantly, if only for a second. When his vision cleared, Ichigo shuddered and shook his head at the strange distortion of his sight.

Urahara's kids - Jinta the redhead and the creepy girl Ururu - stood almost protectively in front of the shopkeeper, both in loose approximations of the opening form of karate.

"Carrot top," the redhead started. "Is that you there? And what's with the shrimpy sword?"

"Who else would it be?" Ichigo demanded, slipping the sheath into the sash of his shinigami uniform. He chose not to address the second question - the zanpakuto was much smaller than his first one, and he privately wondered why. He raised a hand, pointing past the brats at Urahara. "And you! You should have wished I'd lost it back there!"

The hilt was so much smaller and the blade so much lighter, he was surprised himself that he didn't misjudge the resistance and end up tossing the zanpakuto feet away.

Instinctively weilding it diagonally across his chest defensively, he concluded, "Because I'm gonna _kill _you!"

Before he could even move, the shopkeeper was there, a slim blade clearing his cane to block Ichigo's own blade. Urahara smiled, and it was nothing like the friendly expression he recognized from the brunette in his mind.

_I know your purpose,_ he recalled, feeling unsettled, and nearly lost himself to distraction before a voice cut into his thoughts.

"But first, Mr. Kurosaki," said Urahara pleasantly, showing no effort despite putting enough force on the blocked swords to prevent them coming free, "get rid of the mask, if you would."

_Mask?_ Slightly surprised, Ichigo raised a hand to his face, feeling the ultra smoothness of his fully-formed Hollow mask, not having noticed its presence. Digging his fingers under the edge, he was able to pry it away without much effort, and he felt some relief as the world righted itself. "Better?" Urahara nodded, relaxing, and let out a yelp as Ichigo cracked the mask across his face.

"Ow…" the shopkeeper whined, rubbing his nose with his free hand. "You certainly seem creative today, Mr. Kurosaki, so why don't we carry that creativity over into lesson three?" He stepped back, breaking the weapon lock, and tapped the brim of his green-and-white striped hat. "Lesson three will have no time limit. It will last as long as it takes, until you can cut my hat from my-"

Jerking back, the blonde hardly caught the blade before it buried itself in his skull.

"My, my." Urahara looked slightly surprised, as the zanpakuto slid free of his grip, before it was replaced with a dark satisfaction. He brandished the cane sword in front of him. "If that's how you want it… _wake_,_ **Benihime**_."

Ichigo's eyes widened, and he leapt back; the cane-sword lengthened and widened, the hilt taking a bend near the end and becoming more decorative.

There was no time to think and observe further, though he would have liked to; a second later Urahara was there, the blade in his face, pressing back, driving him closer to the shattered shaft. Ichigo was, however, able to discern that by the shape, it was probably a direct combat blade.

_Which means I'm screwed._

He ducked under a slice, blocking a second that seemed to come a fraction of a second after, and then tried an attack of his own, only to misjudge the force required and over swing.

_Damn it…_

Ichigo leapt a few times to the side for a few meters of space, hissing as the cut on his shoulder protested. Off shoulder, thankfully, and mostly a superficial wound; a little deeper, and Urahara would have cut the muscle through.

"Running, Mr. Kurosaki?" the shopkeeper asked candidly, and he blurred and was_ right there_ again. "It won't help you."

He blocked the strike, easing his weight the left, allowing the majority of force to pass through. The blonde didn't lose his balance, but Ichigo hadn't intended for it, instead went for an uppercut.

Metal met metal, and locked.

Urahara's shadowed eyes met Ichigo's brown.

"Although this second zanpakuto of yours is much better than the first," he stated calmly, "there is no empty blade that can withstand Benihime's fury. There is no empty blade that can withstand Soul Society; it serves no purpose."

It was about that time that Ichigo lost his footing, flying backward; gritting his teeth in a snarl, he turned in midair, landing roughly on his feet, ignoring the jarring pain. _Serves no purpose…_

Urahara's words burned him like fire.

_Empty blade._

_Empty purpose._

Damn it, but he wasn't _useless. _He had his goal, had to save Rukia, had to repay the debt he owed. And then… well, he didn't know.

**_If you would accept my assistance…_**

"Purpose and objective," he spat, holding the sword out in front of him, one hand on hilt and one on blade. "It's all the same thing. _Fracture_ -_ **Kyoka Zangetsu**_!"

_…show me._

* * *

Muhaha.

(end corny villain laugh)


	2. Live the Illusion

I fought with this chapter a bit. After the first scene, it decided enough was enough and nothing went down without a fight (that I lost in the end, damn my luck), so it's much shorter than I'd prefer. But I thought, 'Ah well. It's decent. And stress relief.' If it's not decent, well, then smack me, because 'stress relief' is no excuse to post trash.

**This chapter: **Ichigo has a chat with himself, has a realization he doesn't much like, and struggles with it.

_

* * *

_

_Chapter Two - Live the Illusion_

It had taken a while. Kyoka Zangetsu in hand, he had managed to match Urahara strength for strength; there was none of the give the sealed blade had shown. But Urahara was a very skilled swordsman, and the head was the last place a skilled swordsman would leave undefended.

And he had been distracted by the nagging feeling of something missing… or maybe just that he was fighting with a hand tied behind his back. The feeling that there was something that should have been with him, that inexplicably _wasn't_.

Ichigo scowled heavily at the still-released zanpakuto.

"You seem perturbed, Ichigo."

And jumped nearly a foot in the air. He wheeled about to an amused chuckle.

Kyoka Zangetsu met his surprised look with a smile. "You didn't think you were rid of me, did you?"

He hadn't really thought about it. Ichigo blinked, letting his surge of alarm fade. Glancing between the brunette and the sword that bore his name, he frowned. "Aren't you, you know…?"

"The part of your spiritual power given form as a blade, expressed as a second portion of your soul," the brunette explained helpfully, taking a seat on a piece of rock that jutted out from the training ground. He gestured for Ichigo to take a seat as well. "In all honesty, I am nothing but how your soul views its power. It's a phenomenon that's not truly understood."

It struck Ichigo as a little odd that his soul saw a smiling brunette dork as a representation of his power, but he wasn't going to argue, especially considering the representation in question was smiling a little wider, with a little more amusement, as though he knew what was running through his mind.

_He probably does_, he reflected a second later.

"The principle behind learning the name of this other part of yourself is rather simple," continued Kyoka Zangetsu, not commenting but also not dropping his smile. "Can you guess what it is?"

Unprepared for the question, Ichigo blinked for a second, thinking. It didn't take long for him to produce an answer. "Because it's just… knowing your own power better?"

The sword spirit nodded. "But after you learn someone's name, does it end there?"

_Just because you know someone's name, do you know them? _

Ichigo frowned, putting together the questions and his own strange feelings, that resembled, to his mind, one's attachment to a phantom limb. "No. You have to talk to them. Get to know what they're like."

The brunette looked pleased, but didn't speak, silently asking Ichigo to extrapolate.

_And comparing this…_

His eyes trailed back down the zanpakuto. _Just knowing the name can't teach me much, because it's only a name…_ "The only way to truly learn how to use Kyoka Zangetsu," he murmured, "is _from _Kyoka Zangetsu. You."

Kyoka Zangetsu nodded, smiling fondly, and took to his feet again. Starting from his feet, the spirit began to blur.

"Wha - where are you going?" Ichigo demanded, indignant. The dissolution paused, and the brunette looked at him in question. "You pop up and tell me you're the only one I can actually learn from, and then you just leave?"

There was a beat in which the sword spirit looked away and then down, not meeting Ichigo's eyes. "Truly…" He raised his gaze from the ground, looking over the blonde's overall worn condition. "I had thought you might want to wait until you were in a better condition to start."

_Do I look that bad? _Ichigo winced, but shoved any discomfort he might have had to the side, standing up. He set his jaw. "It'd just be an excuse," he said. "No, we start today."

Kyoka Zangetsu watched him quietly for a few moments, before nodding; his eyes held something very like pride. "In that case…" What of his legs had disappeared was suddenly there again, and he turned fully to face Ichigo, face serious. "The easiest way would be simply to show you."

Instinctively Ichigo gripped the black hilt of Kyoka Zangetsu, holding it in front of him in defensive form, looking around in wariness.

"We fear that which we cannot see."

_Behind? But he didn't move… he's still in front on me!_

But Ichigo could feel a presence directly behind him, and peeked over his shoulder, spotting brown hair and dork glasses. _What is this…?_

"Thus, we endeavor to allow our eyes see what we wish to believe."

In front of him again; had he blinked, Ichigo would have missed the blur that was Kyoka Zangetsu's hand rising to catch the white edge of the otherwise black blade. The second sword spirit closed in behind him, and a perfect reflection of his own zanpakuto was pressed to his throat.

Ichigo might have panicked, had he been able to feel the cold metal. As it was, he only frowned in realization as it passed through his neck, leaving no mark. _The copy… it isn't real…._

_Only an illusion. _

The tip, then the blade, the hilt, and the hand and body began to disintegrate, splitting into a multitude of spirit particles that spiraled in the air around Ichigo for a moment before disappearing into his arm.

"True illusion," Kyoka Zangetsu offered after a moment. "Manipulating reishi into taking any form you wish; the greater amount of reishi used, the more detailed and complex, the _truer _an illusion that can be made."

Ichigo nodded vaguely, a little perturbed. This sounded like a strange version of Uryu's Quincy powers. Given that he figured the Quincy arts required a great deal of control and he had nearly killed himself the last time he had actively used his spirit energy, it was a little unsettling.

"True." The brunette met his eyes, expression sober. "Your exposure to Kuchiki Rukia's shinigami power greatly threw off your natural control. I can, however, help. You _will _have to relearn control… but it should be easier."

As Ichigo let himself relax, Kyoka Suigetsu stepped back, appearing melancholic.

"I will not deny my weaknesses, Ichigo," he continued quietly, not breaking his gaze. "Illusions are, in the end, exactly that. They must believe what their eyes tell them, or I am nothing. The battle rests with you."

_In the end, you are the one who must live the illusion. _

A nonexistent breeze stirred, and this time, as Kyoka Zangetsu's spirit form blew away like dust, Ichigo didn't stop him. A knot formed in his stomach as he stared down at the half-black, half-white blade, and he wondered if he really could use Kyoka Zangetsu. If he could truly play the mastermind, the conspirator.

Live the illusion.

Discarding the unsettling thoughts the phrase evoked, Ichigo scowled at the sword in contemplation, focusing mostly on the short white cloth that extended from the end, almost like an afterthought. It had been the reason for his completion of lesson three - unexpectedly extending, it had tied tightly around Benihime, giving him a vital second, if for no other reason than Urahara's surprise.

_Maybe I could use that_, he thought, steeling his resolve against his own discomfort with the idea. The tattered fabric curled lazily around him in answer. _If I used it in conjunction, then…

* * *

_

_Sandal-hat says it'll take him seven days to complete the preparation of the Senkaimon. In the meantime, there's not much else to do but wait. _

_Wait… and practice.

* * *

_

"Ichigo? What happened to your sword?"

That one question was beginning to annoy him. Greatly.

"I don't know, Inoue," Ichigo replied, trying not to let his irritation color his voice, and looked away over the expanse of the training cavern. _This thing's too big to be legal…_

"Uryu?" Orihime stage-whispered, though whether she intended Ichigo to hear he wasn't sure. "I think Ichigo's embarrassed his sword shrunk."

He could feel his cheeks heating, and pretended he hadn't heard.

"Kurosaki." Ishida's voice was serious enough to make him turn around. "That zanpakuto... It's not an asauchi, is it?"

_A what? _

Orihime blinked, voicing her confusion. "What's an asauchi, Uryu?"

"A nameless zanpakuto," answered Ishida after a silence. His eyes lingered on Kyoka Zangetsu's sealed form for a long moment, filled with disquiet. "They're regulation zanpakuto, given to the shinigami that can't summon their own. Empty blades, with no potential for growth."

Empty blade. Ichigo quickly discarded the almost reactionary irritation the phrase evoked, snorting and crossing his arms. "Don't get all concerned, Ishida. It's no asauchi. Just… small."

"It isn't concern for you, Kurosaki." He adjusted his glasses self-importantly. "Merely that an asauchi would be next to useless against a captain of the Gotei 13. Had that been all you had, you would have only been a liability."

Clench.

It was irrational, the effect such a statement had on him. Completely irrational. Kyoka Zangetsu had actually said that he let it get to him too much, and to "let the ignorant be ignorant."

But damn…

"I-Ichigo?" Orihime looked startled as he turned to stalk off, her tone telling him he had messed up. Not passive enough. Too easily angered. "Are you alright?"

This was too hard, Ichigo thought tiredly, and he had hardly even started. But he couldn't just give up. "I'm fine Inoue. I just want to get _going_."

She stared at him quietly, making him want to fidget, until his salvation came in the form of Urahara.

"Mr. Kurosaki has the right idea."

* * *

**On Kyoka Suigetsu vs. Kyoka Zangetsu:** Kyoka Suigetsu is so much more powerful than Kyoka Zangetsu it's not even funny. "Perfect Hypnosis" vs."True Illusion" ...well, Kansen Saimen wins hands down. There's a _big_ difference. 

**Next chapter:** the first act. Hopefully it'll come out before your hair begins to gray.


	3. First Act

Don't know about you, but I at least have no gray hairs.

On with chapter three - in which Ichigo's lack of grace continues to be obvious, asses get kicked (most notably Jidanbo's), and Yoruichi talks a lot and is referred to as a he. Repeatedly.

_

* * *

Chapter 3 - First Act_

The landing was not quite painful. That in mind, it certainly wasn't comfortable either.

Ichigo groaned as he righted himself, wondering that he hadn't broken his back, landing on it like that. It must have been the shield, Orihime's Santen Kesshun, rejecting the sudden - and extremely debilitating - meeting of reishi-composite soul and landscape.

_It apparently didn't keep my brain from jarring, if I'm thinking things like "reishi-composite" and making sense._ Either that, or Kyoka Zangetsu's impromptu tutoring lessons in reiatsu control were paying off. He snorted, looking around. Apart from one, it seemed no one had faired any better than he had.

"Is… is everyone okay?" Orihime glanced around, smiling unsurely at him; he nodded back before jumping when Yoruichi went after the girl with his claws.

"You idiot!" he yowled, head-butting her in the eye hard enough that she would probably get a nasty shiner. "Did you listen to anything I said? Thankfully it was only the shield that touched the kototsu, or you would be dead now."

Orihime cringed, looking crestfallen. "I'm sorry…."

"Oh, lay off her, Yoruichi-san," Ichigo cut in, looking up - the door through which they had come had closed and was nowhere to be seen. No turning back. "If it hadn't been for her, we would all have been caught by the kototsu. Tell me how _that _would have been any better."

The schoolgirl flushed a little, but the cat merely looked away, muttering under its breath.

Ishida broke the stalemate before it truly had a chance to form with an exclamation. "Hey… the smoke's clearing."

Indeed it was. Ichigo glanced from the Quincy to the small, thatched-roof housing and then back again in a double take. Hadn't Chad ripped his cape to get him out of the koryu? _Surely he didn't have a spare? _he thought, before deciding not to pursue that line of reflection further.

"Seems kind of run down," he said instead.

Yoruichi nodded. "This is the Rukongai, both the poorest and the freest part of Soul Society. Seireitei, where the shinigami live, is in the center of Soul Society, past the Seireimon. We're in the third district of West Rukongai."

"There's no one around," Ishida observed.

"Of course not," said the cat. "Ryoka, souls that have entered Soul Society illegally, are the principle cause of problems in Rukongai. It's no wonder they want nothing to do with us." He twitched his tail, a silent order for them to follow, and began to stalk off, away from the houses.

Orihime took a few steps after him, looking off to the side. "Um… Yoruichi-san? What about over there? The roads don't look any different than back home."

"Ah, over there…" He waited until they had walked a few feet more before continuing. "Sit down. We don't have much time… but there's some information you need to know. Over there lie the outer limits of Seireitei."

Ichigo's head shot around, quick to take in the sight. Orihime was right; the streets were similarly paved, the houses more structurally sound than their "Rukongai" counterparts. That was where the shinigami lived?

_In another world, I might be living there. _The thought was strangely unsettling.

"Don't even think about it."

He glanced back to find lethally sharp claws in his face. "Wha- think about what, Yoruichi-san?"

"Think of running off over there," the cat replied frankly. He pulled in his claws and made himself comfortable in Ichigo's lap, ignoring the shinigami's stare and eyebrow twitch.

After a moment, Ishida adjusted his glasses, looking himself before he spoke. "Yoruichi-san, if the conditions are so much better over there, than why don't all of Soul Society's residents live there?"

"Good question. The answer is simple; they can't."

"What do you mean, Yoruichi-san?" Orihime frowned slightly, the expression translating as more of a pout.

Ichigo wondered the same thing, scowling in contemplation. Just because it was disallowed wouldn't keep it from happening. No rule was that absolute. _Didn't he say something about a Seireimon…?_

The cat squirmed, digging its way into a more leisurely position on the shinigami's calf. "I was getting to that. You can't see it now, but there is a wall that separates Seireitei from Rukongai, called the Seireimon. There are four gates around it, one per cardinal direction, and this is the White Road Gate.

"That in itself isn't the biggest problem. The Seireimon is constructed of a type of rock called 'sekki-seki' that captures and dispels spiritual pressure, so there's no chance of breaking through. The only way in are the gates themselves, and to pass through, we'll have to get past the gatekeeper."

This wasn't the most intelligent break-in Ichigo had ever been part of. He shook his head, sharing a look with Chad. "Just how strong _are _these gatekeepers?"

"Extremely. Compared to the gatekeepers, ordinary shinigami are nothing more than flies."

"Good thing I'm not ordinary then." Almost unconsciously his fingers drifted to the hilt of the zanpakuto at his side. Dork though he may appear, Kyoka Zangetsu was no weakling. Au contraire, he was very powerful. "Ow!"

Yoruichi detached his talons from Ichigo's leg, beginning to lick them clean. "Don't get arrogant. Jidanbo - the gatekeeper of the White Road Gate - is very powerful. He can dispatch ten Hollows with ease with one stroke of his ax."

_Ten with one strike? _Ichigo's frown deepened at that. _That ax must be big…. _A second later, a subtle reminder popped into his head, and he looked away, ignoring the nasty feeling in his stomach. "So? Shouldn't matter what he can kill. He has to hit me first - ow!"

"With an attitude like that, you won't last long. Jidanbo is not slow," Yoruichi snapped, flexing his claws. Then he paused, staring at Kyoka Zangetsu thoughtfully. "Unless…." He transferred the scrutiny to the shinigami's face, before changing the subject. "Once we get in, make sure not to draw any attention to yourself. Our destination is the Senzaikyu, in which Kuchiki Rukia is being held, and our objective is to retrieve her. Nothing more, nothing less. Let's go."

* * *

Ichigo was not sure if Yoruichi had thought he could talk them through the White Road Gate despite saying that a fight was inevitable, nor was he sure he wanted to know, because if the cat had, his judgment was sorely wrong. 

On the bright side, the gatekeeper - a literal, honest to God giant - wasn't nearly so strong as he could have been, considering his appearance.

"You okay, Inoue?" he asked almost candidly, holding off the giant's axe with his zanpakuto with one arm, offering the other to help her up.

Not taking it for a second, Orihime simply stared dumbly, before she blinked and burst into an awkward grin, waving her arms. "Oh, Kurosaki-kun, I'm alright. See - no bruises! I'm hardly even scratched!"

"The bruises will show up later, you know," said Ichigo, slightly put off by her cheerful manner, slightly amused. He settled for turning to face Jidanbo as the axe was pulled away.

"You certainly have manners, to protect the girl," the giant observed, and smiled. "And great strength, to have survived the first blow. That's great! Counting you, only three have blocked my first attack."

Ichigo blinked, scowled, and stepped in front of Orihime, sword held in front of him defensively. "Inoue, back away." _The guy's batty…_

"Kurosaki-kun... What are you going to do?"

He stopped, surprised at the question, and flashed her a reassuring smirk. "What do you think? I'm going to show Ishida that he has no place shoving 'asauchi' in my face."

As she backed away, giggling a bit, the smirk fell from Ichigo's face, propelled by unrest.

_Thus, I guess, begins the first act. _

Ichigo pretended he didn't feel guilty, raised his zanpakuto and placed his hand on the back of the blade.

"Fracture, _Kyoka Zangetsu_."

* * *

"_Kyoka… Kyoka __**Zan**__getsu_?" 

Orihime looked over in surprise at the utter shock in Yoruichi's voice, before glancing back to the katana Ichigo held in his left hand. The sword split half-black, half-white down the blade, with a hilt guard formed by two crescent moons and a nondescript brown hilt; from the pommel extended a snow-white cloth that hung over his neck like a scarf.

Strange. Though it didn't merit the reaction the cat had had, even she struggled with the image. The simple, elegant blade didn't seem to fit with her mental picture of Ichigo.

"Kisuke…" Yoruichi trailed off, his eyes narrowing, apparently in deep thought. Deep confliction, and she thought she saw unease.

"Is something wrong with it, Yoruichi-san?" she asked.

The cat shook his head slowly. "No…. but we'll see."

Ichigo sidestepped another attack, and the cloth whipped off his neck and spiraled around him - before he vanished from view as if he was never there, only for a geyser of blood to erupt from the giant's shoulder, where Ichigo stood, cloth settling again across his shoulders.

_Huh…? _Orihime stared, confused. Just what had happened?

"Instant… transportation?" Ishida hazarded, and when the cloth whipped around again and suddenly Jidanbo's axe exploded into fragments, it seemed likely.

She bit her lip. It seemed likely, but Orihime couldn't help but think something was off.

* * *

Ichigo gritted his teeth against the strain, ignoring the pounding ache at his temple that told him he was pushing his control too far. Even with Kyoka Zangetsu helping, balancing two illusions was difficult - the movements, the posture, the expression, the detail… Ironically, the hardest part was the one he used to hide. 

Circling around out of Jidanbo's range, he let his concentration slip, and the chameleon illusion and the copy disappeared as one, lending the appearance of instant movement.

"My… my axe," the giant howled, looking at the broken weapon like it was a dead pet puppy with its heart torn out. "You broke my axe!"

Ichigo stared as his opponent burst out into tears, pulling out a second axe and swinging; the attack missed by several meters despite him not moving an inch. Somewhere in his psyche, he imagined Kyoka Zangetsu staring in that little, pseudo-polite scholarly dork way he had that basically translated to "What the fuck is going on here?"

The next attack was dead on, even with Jidanbo sobbing, but the pain in Ichigo's temple spiked at the thought of rousing the illusions again; he merely blocked it, before giving his zanpakuto a savage twist and shattering the second axe as well.

_I damn well hope he doesn't have another one_, he thought darkly, though the headache was already beginning to ease. Ah, but Kyoka Zangetsu was wonderful.

Jidanbo stared at the twin axeless hilts in his hands, looking back and forth in horror, and the sobs turned to outright band-your-hands-on-the-ground infantile bawling. "My axes! My poor, poor axes! Broken!"

The shinigami looked away, half amused, half disgusted, and totally mortified. He would have liked to walk away from the spectacle, but a subtle push and his own resolve to go forward egged him on. They needed to get through the gate, after all.

"I'm… sorry?" said Ichigo hesitantly, lowering Kyoka Zangetsu slightly. "I suppose… I didn't have to break _both _of them…"

There was a sound rather like a horn blowing, before Jidanbo looked up, tears running down his cheeks. "You know… you're a nice guy!"

Ichigo blinked, and found himself mimicking what he figured was Kyoka Zangetsu's expression. "Thanks…?"

"Here I am, crying over a couple of broken axes…" the giant continued, "and you, my enemy, still care about me! You're such a great guy; you have such a generous personality!"

He stopped himself from letting slip "I do?" just in time. _You were bawling like a baby…_

"Ah, I have been defeated! Not only as a warrior, but also as a person!" Jidanbo wiped his eyes, straightening up with a watery smile. "In my three hundred years as keeper of the White Road Gate, I have never been defeated. You are the first. So… I, Jidanbo, hereby give you permission to pass through the White Road Gate."

* * *

"Are… you sure you can allow passage?" 

Orihime seemed to want to stay a while and heal Jidanbo, but Yoruichi pressed them on. The giant agreed; he was heal, and faster than they would if they delayed and that delay cost them.

"Yes…" Jidanbo replied, turning around and fitting his huge fingers underneath the gate in the Seireimon. "Your leader beat me. It's only fair I let you through."

"Leader!" Ishida snapped. "Kurosaki's not my leader!"

_Is it really that bad? _Ichigo wondered silently, and crossed his arms. "Fight for your own passage, then."

"Kurosaki…?" The giant frowned, looking at Ichigo thoughtfully. "Your name's Kurosaki?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Kurosaki… hm." Jidanbo said nothing further but began to strain, huffing as he forced the gate up from the ground. "Don't be astonished. Just take a breath and rush inside." Grunting from the effort, the giant forced the gate ever higher, only to freeze.

"What's wrong?" Orihime asked, concerned.

Ichigo wondered the same thing, and walked forward, closer to the Seireimon, to see what was up.

It was another shinigami; one with white-silver hair and a downright creepy smile to accompany the captain's haori he recognized from Rukia's brother.

"Who's he?"

"Ichimaru Gin…" Jidanbo replied, obviously terrified. "Captain… of the third division."

"Ah… this ain't allowed." Ichimaru looked up at the giant, peculiar smile seeming to stretch. In a movement too fast for Ichigo to track, the captain severed Jidanbo's left arm from the shoulder; the arm flew backward, landing somewhere back in the Rukon district. "It's too bad, y'know. Gatekeepers ain't supposed to open gates."

The empty socket erupted, blood spewing out in a fountain, raining down on them all, before the weight of the gate pushed Jidanbo to his knees.

_The sort of speed… I didn't see him draw his sword at all._

_But his footwork… _Ichigo had only caught a glimpse, but it seemed odd. He took a few steps forward, eyes narrowed.

"Wow." The captain made no attempt to mask his shock, mocking though it was. "Ya can hold the gate up with just one arm? Ya really are Soul Society's strongest giant." He shook his head. "But as a guardian, you're a failure."

"I was… beaten," Jidanbo wheezed. "It's only natural… I open the door…."

Ichimaru stared at the giant, looking quite flummoxed. "What idiotic rules are you talkin' about? Even if the guardian loses, the gate stays shut." This time, his fingers wrapped around the hilt slowly. "'cause if the guardian loses…. That would mean he was dead."

The giant may have been insane, but Ichigo didn't want his death weighing on his conscience. Kyoka Zangetsu met the other shinigami's zanpakuto in a momentary clash of steel against steel.

Yelling wasn't going to do him much good, but he couldn't help himself. "Just what do think you're doing? Jidanbo lost fair and square, and it's not you that picks whether he lives or dies. So fuck off!"

"_Ichigo_!"

Yoruichi sounded horrified.

For a second the captain looked him up and down taking in first the hair and then his sword. He looked almost curious. "…Ichigo, hm? You're Kurosaki Ichigo, ain't ya?"

He blinked in surprise. "You know me?"

Ichimaru's smile took on a predatory amusement as he turned around and walked away. "So… just as I figured. In that case…" He whirled around, haori swooping out behind him. "Shoot to kill… _Shinso_."

_The zanpakuto-!_

The wakizashi blade extended, bearing down at Ichigo with unbelievable speed. He raised his sword to block, only to feel himself being taken off his feet, and adjusted his grip to let Shinso shoot past. The landing wasn't the most graceful, but he was getting used to those.

The next thing he heard was a scream as Shinso, deprived of Ichigo as a target, plunged on, slamming into Jidanbo's chest and thrusting him out from beneath the White Road Gate.

It slammed shut with an ominous thoom, and Ichigo looked over at the poisonously amused captain, thinking that maybe he should have let the momentum carry him back out of the Seireitei after all.

"Well, Ichigo," said Ichimaru, far too happily. "Ain't this convenient? Got ya all to myself."

Ichigo swallowed as he parried the captain's zanpakuto with Kyoka Zangetsu.

_Can we say, "Shit"?_

_

* * *

_

All together now - "_Yes we can_!"

For those that were confused about Ishida's "Instant transportation zanpakuto?" crack, that's how Ichigo's making Kyoka Zangetsu appear. It's not the best choice, but the best he could come up with on such short notice with such shoddy control. Requires the balancing of two illusions - one copy to make the opponent think he's actually one place, and a "chameleon illusion" that takes the reishi in the air directly around him and hides him from view. Of the two, the latter is much more difficult, because it has to change to suit the background as he moves. Without Kyoka Zangetsu taking the brunt of the work, he wouldn't be able to do either one.

Like I said - Kyoka Zangetsu is one powerful zanpakuto. It's not Kyoka Suigetsu, but more than good enough to stand on its own.

Next chapter: Yoruichi contemplates how screwed they are, Orihime is certain Ichigo isn't dead, and Ichigo tries not to die.


	4. The Delicate and the Rough

Another short chapter... mainly, since this chapter was about Ichigo saving his own ass. Heh. I thought about pulling some of the material I meant for the next chapter into this one, but I decided I'd taken long enough to update as it was.

BTW, if scenes in this chapter heavily imply Orihime's feelings for Ichigo, this is merely characterization. No jumping to conclusions, 'kay?

_

* * *

Chapter Four - The Delicate and the Rough _

The resounding crash of the White Road Gate slamming shut had made a chill of horror run down Orihime's back. Ichigo wasn't with them. Ichigo was on the other side, trapped with a monster of a man that had so effortlessly destroyed Jidanbo.

_Kurosaki-kun…_

"Inoue…"

Orihime closed her eyes, pressing a hand against the unforgiving gate as though attempting to slip through and reach him. Chad stood immediately behind her, silently offering his support. "He's still alive, Sado-kun," she whispered, knowing she sounded like she was in denial but actually certain. How she was certain, she wasn't sure.

Yoruichi had apparently written Ichigo off as a regrettable loss. At his level, the cat had said, fighting a captain was suicide. He was probably already dead, he had continued, looking unsettled.

"I can tell somehow." Orihime shook her head before leaning her forehead against the gate as well, imagining she could hear the clashing of metal against metal as Ichigo fought for survival against an opponent that was out of his league. "He's still fighting…."

She sensed rather than saw Chad's nod. "Ichigo's not one to give up." He paused for a moment, as though considering something, before adding, "Yoruichi-san knows a captain's strength, but he doesn't know Ichigo's. He'll survive."

A smile crossed Orihime's face, and she turned the bright expression on Chad. "You're right, Sado-kun. I really shouldn't be worried; Kurosaki-kun will come through for Kuchiki-san."

"Orihime!" Yoruichi yowled, and she looked back to see the black cat beckoning for her with his tail, standing by Jidanbo. Apparently, the district's residents had succeeded in strapping the giant's arm back in its socket, and now it was her turn to heal the damage.

As she got up, summoning Shun'o and Ayame by their names, she glanced back one last time at the gate.

_Be safe, Kurosaki-kun…_

Repeatedly the wakizashi and the daito clashed. Ichigo had the advantage of reach, while Ichimaru had the advantage of speed; more often than not, speed won out, though the captain was having a harder time landing a threatening blow the longer they fought.

Or at least, Ichigo thought he was having a harder time. Certainly the captain was landing less attacks, but judging by the expression that hadn't faltered the whole time they had been exchanging blows, Ichimaru might have been playing with him.

_On the bright side, I think I've figured out that footwork of his…_

It had struck Ichigo as strange that a captain would rely completely on a certain footwork pattern. Doing so led to a predictability a fighter normally couldn't risk. On the other hand, certain movements could be executed with a higher speed, allowing for overall faster movement. And _that _was what Ichimaru was doing.

Metal flashed, and still partly caught up in his mental analysis, Ichigo felt the bite of Shinso at his shoulder. He copied the captain's footwork, whirled around and struck low; the wakizashi met the daito solidly, and he flipped, using the crossed blades and his off hand to attempt a kick that was blocked by a forearm.

_Damn it._

Rather than attempt a follow up, he rolled away from the captain, bringing up Kyoka Zangetsu to guard as he righted himself.

"Clever boy," Ichimaru praised, amused. "Ya nearly got me there."

Eyebrow twitching, Ichigo shot forward again, locking blades, using his strength and reach to put the captain on the defensive.

The captain was not as skilled at zanjutsu as Urahara was, but neither was he. If Ichimaru started using kido, then Ichigo would lose. Right now he could match the captain, but reinforcements could arrive at any moment. He had to get away. It set his teeth to grinding, but it was the truth.

The question was how. He was at a disadvantage in speed. Sandal-hat had taught him how to fight, not how to run, and Kyoka Zangetsu… well, Ichigo couldn't hold an illusion out of sight, even if he managed to concentrate enough to get that far. But the sword could certainly help…

He needed a diversion. Something explosive. Something to distract the captain long enough for him to get a head start.

But _how_?

Ichigo dodged as Shinso extended yet again, grabbing onto the blade with his off hand, slashing down at the wrist that held the offending blade steady. The captain was ready, however, and with a brief intonation the force of the kido that landed dead center tossed him easily ten yards away, where he choked as he got to his feet and coughed up some blood.

_Kido… Not good. _He breathed in and out to clear his head. If only he knew some kido himself, things would be so much easier. Kido was just another form of reiatsu manipulation, though, wasn't it? The same principle he used in true illusion.

Simple in theory, yet in practice like trying to tighten one's fist around an ocean.

Ichigo couldn't afford to eat another kido like that, but now that Ichimaru had finally used one of the shinigami demon arts, it was likely he wouldn't hesitate to use another. Not to mention it was now he that was out of range, since the captain hadn't allowed his zanpakuto to shorten to its normal form.

_I have the shittiest luck sometimes_, he groused, focusing on his reiatsu. Perhaps he could take advantage of that - though, if he wanted this to work, it would have to be damn convincing….

'_I would agree,' _came the unexpected response, upsetting his concentration and causing his spirit power to trickle free of his grip, only to be caught in a more skilled one. _'This opponent is not like the gate guardian. It is not likely he will be so easily fooled. We must pursue a different path.' _

_Feel free to suggest whatever comes to mind, _Ichigo snapped, recognizing the voice; he was surprised the zanpakuto had decided to show up in this of all situations. In front of someone who was not even an ally? It seemed a little… personal.

Kyoka Zangetsu laughed softly at his ponderings. _'Until you can externalize me yourself, you needn't worry about my being seen_.' He then grew sober, save for an amused tilt of his mouth at the awkward gymnastics that resulted from Ichigo's divided attention. _'However, that will be irrelevant if we do not manage a retreat. At our limited capability, utilizing the illusions to the point necessary to fool a captain is only a sliver short of impossible.' _

Ichigo rolled under Shinso, staying low to the ground so a kido blast shot harmlessly over his head. If he hadn't been certain already, he was now; Ichimaru was testing him, not actually going for the kill. For how long, he didn't know, but so long as the captain wasn't actively pressing him…. _Tell me something I don't know._

'_If the delicate will not work,' _said Kyoka Zangetsu candidly, _'then perhaps the rough will.'_

_You mean, blowing shit up? _Despite himself Ichigo smirked. Despite the appearance, despite the phraseology, despite the intonation, sometimes it was truly obvious just how Kyoka Zangetsu came to be his zanpakuto. _Unless you have some other ability you didn't tell me about…_

The zanpakuto spirit shook his head, smiling. _'No. I do not. You, however….'_

His face itched strangely as Ichigo felt his spirit power begin to swirl around him, guided by Kyoka Zangetsu's careful influence, fractionally slow so he could track the movement. He didn't notice as Ichimaru paused, watching carefully, as reiatsu built, focused at a point - and then fizzled out.

'_Try it again by yourself,' _the zanpakuto spirit advised, growing vague and beginning to disappear, his lesson concluded.

Ichigo mentally retraced the path the spirit power was meant to take, noting it could theoretically branch off to several places, before forcing himself to concentrate on his opponent. It was a wonder the captain hadn't taken advantage of his distraction, a wonder he was nonetheless thankful for as he pressed forward, seizing the minute advantage garnered by surprise, rolling under the incoming kido.

_Concentrate. Concentrate! _

The reiatsu surged, and with a yell he didn't realize he was making, a surge of scarlet energy coalesced and exploded from his hand, hitting the captain at point-blank range. And then he was away, the chameleon illusion coming to life at a subtle push.

Ichigo ran as fast as he could manage, deeper into the Seireitei. Farther from the gate and his only allies.

-

Ichimaru Gin sat upright, feeling the ryoka boy's presence diminish to nearly nothing and not feeling up to following. His hand drifted to his temple and came away from a small amount of blood, and he laughed, the sound stark and ironic.

"Huh. Cero…I wasn' expectin' _that_."

As Yoruichi watched the schoolgirl work, she was careful not to let her roiling thoughts show on her adopted face. The gate was shut, with Ichimaru Gin on the other side, and traveling to another would take far too long.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Had that been all, it would have been easily salvaged. Their next step was obviously to find Kukaku, and hope she would help them punch through the barrier with her Flower Crane Cannon.

No.

Not only had the path through the gate been lost to them, so had Kurosaki Ichigo. More importantly, so had the best chance they had of succeeding in this insane endeavor. While she didn't doubt her strength, Yoruichi was no fool, and she knew that little Bya-chan had surpassed her.

In that moment Yoruichi knew defeat.

Orihime's head shot up from watching Shun'o and Ayame at work. The healing was taking longer than she had originally thought, and her worry for Ichigo was eating at her, probably making it take even longer.

_Kurosaki-kun…. _She smiled, feeling her worry begin to evaporate. She didn't know why, she didn't know how, but the same feeling that earlier told her Ichigo was alive was now telling her he was safe. Well, as safe as he could be, trapped alone with the same people who meant to put Kuchiki Rukia to death for saving lives.

She could only trust Ichigo to stay alive.

Making sure Shun'o and Ayame could work without her for a moment, Orihime dashed off to share the good news with Chad.

* * *

Ichigo uses cero... but he didn't have a mask on, oh noes. Something's messed up here, methinks. Well, something besides the story as a whole.

Next chapter: Ichigo saves face after running away... in a fashion one wouldn't expect. Yoruichi and co. go to meet Kukaku and things get explosive. Shit happens and Rukia and Renji have a talk.


	5. Implication

You know what I said last chapter about this one? Uh... I lied. An unfortunate side effect of not updating for... (checks last update and winces) nine months?

On the bright side, you get some Aizen in this chapter.

Has Bleach gone on hiatus? No? Then I think you can figure out I'm not writing it. Or drawing it. Whew, considering how awful I am at art, I think we can all be relieved.

**

* * *

Chapter Five - Implication**

Renji left the Senzaikyu feeling almost guilty. Rukia's expression - a mixture of disbelieving relief and renewed hope - ate at him, making him wish he hadn't decided to tell her about Kurosaki being sighted in Soul Society. _Ichimaru intercepted him, after all…. What's the chance he's still alive? _

The captain was Third division for a reason.

"Hey!"

The redhead blinked, jarred out of his thoughts, and glanced around. "Captain Aizen?"

Aizen Sosuke waved energetically from down the row, beckoning him over with a friendly smile. "Renji! It's good to see you," he said when Renji was closer, looking him up and down with the paternal air he took with all his subordinates, former or current. "And you seem to be doing well…. Do you have a moment?"

Although he really needed to report back to Captain Kuchiki, Renji nodded and followed Aizen when the brunet began to absently wander off. Aizen had something to say. Of all the captains, he was the easiest to read.

"How long has it been?" Aizen murmured aloud. "How long since I lost you to Kenpachi? Some forty years? It was a disappointment, but that's how it is, I suppose. You're in the sixth division, now?"

It was a disappointment? Renji grinned, feeling flattered. "Yeah. Probably for the best, right? Momo'd roast me if I tried takin' her vice captain spot."

"Maybe so." The captain laughed, and opened the door to let Renji enter first.

The lieutenant glanced around at the old-style furnishings in the room, not recognizing it, before he realized he was in Aizen's office. Momo had described it to him once; apparently she sometimes spent nights here, falling asleep while trying to get Aizen to get some rest.

"Anyway," said Renji. "What did you want to talk about?"

Aizen smiled. Then, with one hand, he pulled the curtain across the office's single window, and grew serious. "Renji… you're… close to Kuchiki Rukia, aren't you?"

The redhead froze. "Well… uh…"

"There's no need to deny it," the captain said softly. "I know you've been friends since you were in the Rukongai."

"Yeah…" _What's he getting at…?_

"I'll cut to the quick," said Aizen. He met Renji's eyes solidly, and the lieutenant hid a shiver. "In your opinion, does Rukia deserve to die?"

_He didn't just say that. _Renji stared at the captain wide eyed, unable to believe what he had just heard. Was Aizen actually questioning an order of the Chamber of 46? "I… I'm not sure I understand."

Now Aizen looked away, gazing fixedly at his desk as though it held the secrets of the universe. "Don't you think it's strange?" he whispered. "Her crime was the unauthorized transfer of reiryoku and an overlong absence from the Soul Society. I've never heard of anyone getting the ultimate penalty… for crimes like those."

Dissension against the rulings of the Chamber of 46 was enough to prosecute someone for treason if the old men of the court were in that sort of mood. Was Aizen implying that someone from the Chamber had a vendetta against Rukia?

"On top of that," Aizen continued, growing ever quieter, "her gigai was disposed as soon as she returned the Soul Society, instead of being used as evidence; her stay of execution was cut from thirty-five to twenty-five; and, of course, the use of the Sokyoku on someone under captain level is unprecedented." He paused, appearing to debate his next words, and Renji's stomach twisted. "Even on captains, its use has been restricted to high treason and conspiracy against the Soul Society."

"Conspiracy against the Soul Society?" Renji repeated faintly, completely stunned. "But - but that's…"

Then he understood. Most of the people who sat on the Central 46 were from the noble families of the Seireitei, politicians with power only checked by other families. While Renji didn't pretend to get the noble politics, he knew Rukia's situation had to reflect badly on the Kuchiki.

And with that sort of implication…

This was _bad_.

Renji looked back up at Aizen. "But… Captain Aizen, what can-"

The emergency alert began to ring, and a message began to blare over the intercom system, calling all captains to an emergency officer meeting. Aizen, brown eyes solemn, put one finger to his lips, wordlessly clasped the lieutenant on the shoulder, and then left.

* * *

Ichigo lost himself in the push of shihakusho-clad bodies with more ease than he should have had. It only took a little concentration to disguise his distinctive orange hair, and Kyoka Zangetsu blended in with the reams of sealed zanpakuto so long as he kept it sheathed.

"**All captains! All captains! Report immediately for an emergency officers' conference!**"

The push slowed, shinigami looking around in surprise and confusion.

"I wonder what that's about," one close to Ichigo murmured to the one beside him.

The other replied, "The ryoka, maybe. I heard they took down Jidanbo. Maybe one of them got in?"

Wondering how fast gossip got around here, Ichigo squeezed closer.

"And get past Ichimaru? Ichimaru's a freaking monster," the first countered.

"You know what I heard?" a third, female shinigami butted in, leaning in conspiratorially. "I heard he goes by Kurosaki. As in, _the _Kurosaki. The traitor."

_The what? _Ichigo stopped, unable to conceal his shock. Luckily, several passing shinigami had stopped, some equally surprised, some simply interested. This was simply too weird. And rather unfortunate - if the people of Soul Society connected him with some traitor, they might take it out on Rukia.

"Captain Kurosaki is dead," a brunet shinigami scoffed. "He's been dead for nearly a hundred years now. Stop pulling stuff out of your ass, Hanajima. You're embarrassing the second division with your nonsense."

Second division? Ichigo blinked, before mentally kicking himself. Of course shinigami had divisions, Jidanbo had said as much when identified Ichimaru as the captain of the third division. But how many were there? Sooner or later he might have to identify himself, which meant he needed a quick name - that _wasn't _Kurosaki - and a division.

"**All shinigami assemble at their respective divisions!**"

Ichigo cursed inwardly as the crush of shinigami multiplied.

"What?" The brunet shinigami blinked. "They're calling for _us _to assemble?" He looked at the blonde incredulously. "You weren't serious about that Kurosaki shit, were you?"

She shrugged casually. "Like I said, that's what I heard. And considering I _also _heard he managed to injure Captain Ichimaru and escape…"

_I injured him? _Ichigo smirked inwardly and began to move with the bulk of the crowd, having heard enough. _Serves the bastard right. _If it hadn't been for Kyoka Zangetsu showing him how to do… whatever he'd done, he'd have been toast.

_Which way's the Senzaikyu? _he wondered. Probably somewhere near the center of Seireitei, true, but the Seireitei was _big_.

Kyoka Zangetsu nudged slyly at his mind.

_I need more information. _Ichigo scowled. That meant he had to attend a division meeting, which meant he needed to pick a number and follow someone. One was probably administrative and two was apparently intelligence, so neither were good ideas. Three, the same, considering he had fought Ichimaru earlier and the captain would probably recognize his reiatsu. Four was just bad luck. He was already in Soul Society, going to the death division was too much.

Ah, hell. Ichigo heard someone mention the fifth division and followed them.

* * *

Yoruichi gave a feline smirk at the kids' utterly stupefied faces. Kukaku's house always had that effect on strangers; in fact, Yoruichi privately thought the premier fireworks expert of the Soul Society built her houses like that for just that very reason. It was certainly humorous enough. Granted, it could be that Kukaku was just that flamboyant.

"No wonder he lives outside of town!" she heard the Quincy murmur, and had to repress a snicker. "The townspeople wouldn't have it!"

"He has a big smokestack," Inoue chirped. Sado, standing beside her, nodded wordlessly.

None of them appeared to believe Ichigo was actually dead. Ishida had mentioned something about escaping using his zanpakuto, but had concluded it to be limited to line-of-sight, preventing the shinigami from returning; Inoue had confessed it was nothing but a feeling she had, and Sado had voiced his support for both. It was almost enough to sway Yoruichi: Ichimaru was notorious for playing with his meat, and Ichigo, while hot-headed, wasn't stupid. She would search for his spirit pressure when Kukaku got them through.

She wasn't getting her hopes up, though. That zanpakuto of his simply rubbed her fur wrong.

As they approached the house, two familiar burly forms exited the shoji and blocked the way.

"Halt!" one called.

"You are all strangely dressed," the other proclaimed. With a touch of amusement, Yoruichi noticed he was mainly looking at Ishida. "You are a suspicious group!"

"Shiroganehiko and Koganehiko will not let you pass!" the first said. "Leave now or die here."

While ordinarily the twins' posturing would have been met with incredulous looks, instead it was met by Sado and Ishida stepping in front of Inoue, both preparing to draw their weapons. Before it could turn into an actual fight, Yoruichi stepped in front of the boys, attracting the attention of the older brother with a slash across the foot.

"Yow - Yoruichi-san!" he exclaimed. Koganehiko backpedaled. "Oh! I didn't know they were your attendants - right this way!"

"Attendants?" Ishida repeated, but followed along with the others when the twins opened the shoji and gestured them down a flight of stairs.

Yoruichi led the way down and prayed Kukaku would realize just how seriously they needed her help.

* * *

Filler, mostly... but some hints. Tell me what you think!


End file.
